Colorless
by Miraculous Pink Ninja
Summary: I'm in love with you Leonardo. I want to take care of you. But, you won't let me. Why? You don't have to be so tough all the time. You're an arrogant idiot and we both know that, but that's part of what makes you so perfect. You put up a face that makes you look so perfect, but that's a flaw and we both know it. Just, please, open up. I'm begging you...and I'll be waiting.


TMNT © Nick

Ellie, Pop © PopcornWolf10

OCs © MPN

(Most people pronounce Violetta as Violet-ta. But my OC's name is pronounced V-oletta, but her nick name Violet is pronounced as it is. And I'm not updating most of my other stories because I wanna finish other shots first and I'm currently face-to-face with an author's block. Yes, I'm going to rewrite the Valentine's special because it's incomplete. Yes, I'm aware that this is a dark/sad one shot but don't ask why. I dunno either. Hope you like it.)

Vi packed her paints into a box along with a few jars of water and closed it. She placed her thick sketch book in her big art bag along with a stuffed, paint stained pencil case. Her eyes landed on a white, paint stained case on a shelf. She walked to it and opened it up, checking if all her water colors were there. Once she was sure, she closed it and packed it as well.

She zipped her bag and placed it on top of the box by the full length mirror. She brushed away a strand of her hair in her face and finger combed her long black locks. It was in a decent style but it was covered in paint, as well as her face and clothes.

Vi sighed, flipped her hair back, and walked to her closet, bringing out a white polka dotted tank top and jorts. She took a warm shower and put them on. She dried her hair with a bronze hair dryer and tied it in a bun with some hair coming out of the center and a some hanging from the front sides of her face for a more artsy style. She put her pastel blue chucks on and left the house carrying the box of paints and her art bag, letting her mom know that she was leaving.

She went down the busy streets of Manhattan and rode a bus to Queens. She hopped off and looked at the city she's been to about thirty times this month. She walked into a nearby building and passed by several artists painting murals on the walls of the soon to be orphanage.

" **Violets!** "—Vi turned her head to her cousin, Jose, who was walking towards her—"I'm so glad you're here," he smiled, shaking her hand.

Vi let out a light chuckle, "Jose, you _know_ that I've been here at least thirty times this month, right?"

"And **you** know that this is the only time I've stayed long enough to see you."

Vi chuckled, "Can't argue with that."

"Oh, and I reassigned you and Leonardo to paint the entire second floor since you've finished your project here in the first floor. The second floor is unisexual, you know, for babies and toddlers."

"Happy to oblige, partner," Vi chuckled, walking past her cousin with a smile and walking to the second floor.

She was greeted by a dull floor of pure gray. It was filled with many rooms that were even _more_ dull.

She left her cargo by the staircase and walked around, letting her imagination fly as she imagined glass doors and glass windows in the empty stands of each soon to be colorful rooms. She loved taking care as babies and orphans, just like her cousin, but she couldn't since she was still in college. She wasn't an art student either. She was a lawyer in training. The only reasons why she was here is because Jose loved her passion in helping others, she was good in art, and her imagination was not far from the real world. That way, the kids will be able to forget their tragic past while not have to deal with the fact that fairies aren't real.

" _Hello_?!"

Vi blinked back to reality. Everything was gray, empty... _lonely_.

" **Anyone here?!** "

That echo was at the staircase. Vi can tell. She walked back and came face to face with her partner, Leonardo. His black hair was very, _very_ messy, and his right forearm was covered in a bandaged soaked with crimson, which wouldn't really matter if he hid it better with his jacket. He was trying to hide something and Vi knew it.

"Leo? A-are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Vi asked, cautiously taking a step forward.

Leo took a (few) step(s) back from his partner in response, causing her to stop dead on her tracks. He realized this and his heart sank. "Oh? Huh? Yeah, yeah, just a little cut is all."

"A cut? Hmph, yeah right, it's soaked, are you _sure_ it's just a cut?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, just soaked it with acrylics on the way over," Leo responded nervously.

Vi's eyes widened. "You soaked it with—"

"It's just a scab, okay? Mom just told me to put a bandage on it just in case paint spills on it or something."

"But why only that area?" Vi asked, growing more concerned by the minute.

"I... was... doing the non-dominant hand challenge?"

"Leonardo," Vi called firmly, "you're hiding something and I know it, but if you don't want to tell me, just let me know that it's private. I'll respect that," she finished gently. Leo looked at her then, at the ground sadly. "So what's up?"

Leo took a breath. He was dealing with something big, yet he wouldn't— **shouldn't** let anyone know about it. She wondered why...

"I...I had a fight with Raph," he finally replied.

"Again?" Vi asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Leo sighed, "I just wish that we could get along better. You know, like you and your sister."

Vi scoffed, "Pluh- _lease_ , **you** try getting along with a sibling on the other side of the continent. Not that I don't see your point."

Leo rolled his eyes. "I kinda wish _I_ was across the universe," he mumbled.

Vi let out a 'hmph', walked over to her stuff and picked them up. "C'mon, Blush Boy, let's get to painting. I know a good place to start," she stated, walking down a hall.

Leo's face turned red. "B-Blush Boy?"

"Don't act as if you don't know the reason why," Vi replied, looking over her shoulder. Leo shook his head and followed.

Vi kept her mouth shut the entire way, not knowing what to say. Leo was the one who usually started conversations, so why isn't he doing anything now? For all she knew, Leo is just not in the mood for a conversation, yet he seemed fine a minute ago. But then again, he _did_ come looking terrible, as if he was beaten up.

"So..." Vi started.

"So what?" Leo asked, walking alongside her and looking set her with curious eyes bigger than usual.

Vi's head backed up a bit, staring back. "Leo... stop staring," she chuckled, turning back to the corridor.

"I wasn't," Leo replied with a smirk.

"Humph, yeah right," Vi commented, walking ahead.

A few more steps and they ended up in a decent sized room, no smaller than Vi's own. There was an open window covered with a tattered fabric, which flew wildly against the wind.

"Welp, where are those blue prints?" Leo murmured, setting down his cargo and searching his art bag for something. "Aha," he breathed.

"What's that you got there?" Vi asked, setting down her cargo by Leo's then looking over his shoulder as he unrolled a blue print.

"We're...here." Leo pointed to a small box marked "napping room".

"Oh, looks like we have to make this place look sleepy I guess," Vi sighed while getting up. Just thinking about how the room would look like made her sleepy.

"Already?" Leo asked teasingly, standing up as well.

"Hmph, let's see who's sleepy by lunch," Vi smirked cockily.

"Heh, yeah right," Leo scoffed while rolling his eyes. "So what are you planning for this room?" he asked.

"Oh, you know," Vi started walking around the room with her left hand never loosing contact with the wall, "The night sky, stars moons, maybe the man _on_ the moon," she replied, chuckling. She looked up, pointing at the small light at the center of the room, "Maybe put it over there," she said.

"Okay... so about the walls," Leo said, gesturing to the grey canvas, "I was thinking something like a landscape. You know: mountains, hills, rivers, lakes, trees...the things you'd find in nature."

"Sound like you'd prefer Japan," Vi commented, "but honestly, now that I think about it, I'd say that it's not a bad idea. We'll just cover the ceiling with stars and make the walls a landscape of Japan's Sakura trees at night. And let's put lanterns, maybe a bit warm..."

Leo couldn't help but chuckle as she went on and on and on...if only she knew.

9

He tensed as he cautiously pushed the front door open, peeking at his step father, Saki, playing poker with his friends, again. He opened the door a bit more and quietly stepped into the house, closing the door just as silently–or so he thought.

" _Lame-o-nardo, get some more beer from the store, will ya?_ "

Leo flinched as Saki's voice came loud and clear. Leo nodded with a shudder. He placed his paints on the countertop and immediately left the house and went across the street, walking back with a few boxes of beer. He handed them to Saki and turned to get his paints...which...weren't...there.

Leo's eyes widened. He ran up the stairs as quietly as he could and knocked on his step-brothers' door. It opened (eventually), but he was greeted by a paintball in the face.

" _Dr Prankenstein strikes again!_ "

"Real _mature, Mikey._ "

Leo opened his eyes after wiping his face his forearm the best he can, but it was still there. He opened his eyes as he stared at his paint-covered forearm. The smell wasn't the only thing that was familiar.

"You guys used my paints!" he exclaimed angrily.

" _So?_ " Raph asked.

"They're mine, you shouldn't have taken them!"

"But they were just laying on the countertop so we decided to take them," Mikey replied.

"But I bought it with _my_ money," Leo stared.

"But _we_ got our hands on it," Raph retorted, "Finders keepers."

"Plus why would you use 300 bucks to buy paints?" Donnie asked. Leo opened his mouth to answer but he was interrupted by his smart step-brother, "It's a rhetorical question."

"And why would you use them on some useless doodles when you could use them for pranks?" Mikey smirked, throwing another balloon, which Leo dodged, causing it to hit the area where the nerd was.

"My notes!" Donnie exclaimed, shocked. He ran out the room calling for his father.

"Looks like someone's in trouble~" Mikey and Raph chorused in a sing-song voice. They threw more balloons at each other and all over the room, sliding the empty paint box to Leo and scattering the empty cans all over.

Saki and Donnie came rushing up the stairs, and seeing the mess, Saki covered his eyes to Leo.

" **Leonardo!** " Saki yelled. He graded Leo by the shirt neckline and held him to the wall. For a drunkard gambler, Saki was pretty skilled. "Did you do this?" Leo gulped. His lips trembled and his mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. "Did **you** do _this_?" Saki asked again.

Leo's eyes shrunk in fear he looked around the room, his acrylics were all over the beds, the walls, the floor, the furniture, _everywhere_. He didn't do any of this. He looked at his step brothers for help, but all they did was tease him behind their father's back. Leo took and breath, and though knew what was coming, he didn't do anything about it.

He nodded.

9

With one final stroke, the they— _she_ was one step closer to the desired outcome. Vi wiped her forehead with the palm of her hand. She looked around the room.

The walls were in a dark hue of the blend of blue, purple, and black, as well as the ceiling. But that was it. Plain. Dark. Scary

The smile on her face faded. She knew that she wasn't done yet, but just looking at her work made feel as if it wasn't going to be good enough. She turned her head to the white can of paint on the floor. It was intimidating, but it was also contrasting to the dark environment.

She was sure that something was missing, besides the comforting environment, she couldn't tell what. Though she knew that there was no one to point it our to her.

"What situation did you get yourself into, Leo?" Vi asked herself.

Then she picked a smell off the air. She wasn't a dog, or a cat, or a superhuman. Just a light smell of acrylics with a hint of...blood? She didn't want to think about it, but it got stronger. She thought of the relieving possibilities, like someone with nose bleed and acrylics. But the blood soon overthrew the acrylics.

Vi turned her head and walked out, dropping the paint brush into a bucket on the way. We placed her hand on the empty door frame and checked both sides of the hall. Nothing. Then she heard footsteps, really soft, but heavy ones. Her eyes widened and got her hands on the nearest thing for defense: a paint brush.

She turned her little weapon around so that the handle of the brush was pointing at the doorway. Then a silhouette got closer...

and closer...

and closer...

and...

 **WACK!**

 **OOF!**

" _Vi, it's me! Leo!_ "

9

"I can't believe you hit me with a paintbrush," Leo grumbled, adding another stroke of dark green paint to the wall.

"You smell different than usual," Vi joked.

"Explain," Leo spoke, rolling his eyes.

"Well..."

Vi didn't really think that she'd need to explain Leo's smell to anyone besides herself, much less Leo himself. Back in elementary, he smelled like nature: trees, flowers, water, and such, with a hint of incense, Vi loved that smell, but she never got close enough to get the details, instead, she tried to recreate it at home, but there was always something missing. In second year high school, something changed. He started smelling odd, Vi didn't like it. He smelled like beer, cigar, and a bit of something she couldn't make out. The atmosphere was gone, and according to a friend, it wasn't coming back anytime soon, and Vi knew that it was true because the very friend spent her entire year trying to recreate the atmosphere she loved, but she wasn't even close. All she could do was remember. Then college rolled around and Leo smelled like something like Vi herself. Paint, paper, pastel... 'artist's aura' a friend called it. Vi herself was an artist, but she was more into graphite. Leo was the one who introduced her to acrylics, water color, and such. But now...

"You used to smell like nature," Vi mumbled, loud enough for only Leo to barely hear. "I liked that. I enjoyed it when I visited your home. It was calm, comfortable, as if it was a fantasy. Then in high school, you...you changed."

"...What kind of change?"

Vi took a breath, collecting herself. She didn't know wether she should continue or not, but she's started it, and she's never left anything unfinished.

"...you started smelling like...beer, cigars...the opposite of the Leo I knew. I-I'm not saying that you are like that now, but... there was something that was different..."

"What kind of different?"

"It started yesterday...I think. You came with a bandaged wrist with a hint of blood in your scent. You said your mom told you to cover it with a bandage... but your mom died three years ago, first year of college."

Leo's eyes widened in surprise, maybe fear. "How...how did you—"

"There couldn't be another Shen Huang Long in the world that died in a car crash with Yoshi Huang after getting hit intentionally by Saki Long, _would there_?"

9

 _Navy blue? Nah._

 _Sea blue? Not even close._

 _Should I try...no—it can't be... Oh. Who knew?_

Vi loaded her small brush with some watercolor and filled in the space in his eyes. She rest the brush beside a half-filled jar and uncapped a black felt marker, filling in the pupils. She put it done and picked up a few shades of blue color pencils, adding more effect.

"Something's not right..." she murmured.

She got up and pulled out a black box from the top shelf. She opened it, revealing more pictures of Leonardo Hamato, varying in art mediums, paper, and age.

There was something wrong with all the pictures from high school up. She looked back at his newest portrait. Too bright. Too happy. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Vi looked back at her art mediums, eyes falling on all the dark and gloomy colors.

 _Worth a shot..._

9

 _ **Why isn't it doing anything?**_

She didn't understand. The paper was white, she covered it all, but it still didn't make sense. Leo wasn't Leo. This Leo in the portrait was the one she knew...it was a fake. Her dream Leo.

It.

Wasn't.

 _Real_.

She turned her head to the shelf nearby, where she stocked all her supplies. She's tried everything. Everything, nothing worked. Every possibility—

"No," Vi groaned, resting her head on her crossed arms, "Don't think that. It can't be. He's happy with his un...cle." Vi lifted her head, staring at the walls. She took a breath, then got to work.

9

 _ **"Lame-o-nardo, the dishes!"**_

 _ **"Hey, mutt, don't you dare forget my clothes!"**_

 _ **"Not before you finish polishing my tools!"**_

 _ **"Daddy, the mold put a spider under my pillow!"**_

 _ **"Father, there's a roach under my bed! I think the mutt put it there!"**_

 _ **"Dad, my tools are dirty!"**_

 _ **"Leonardo, get over here this instant!"**_

…

… _Why?_

…

… _Why me?_

…

… _Help._

…

… _Help me._

 **Don't count on it.**

9

"Vi—"

…

"Violetta—"

…

"Violetta, wake up."

…

"He's—"

…

"... _gone_."

-Years later-

It was a cool autumn day. The leaves had turned orange and most of them have fallen. The sky was tinted orange with some red. Just like her painting.

Vi put down her sketchbook, comparing it to the real thing. She smiled softly. Turning to the grave next to her, she frowned, patting it.

"Would things be different if you told somebody...if you told _me_?" she asked. She sighed. She reached into her bag and brought out a small black box. "These...these are..for you," she murmured, placing it next to Leo. She let out a sad chuckle. "Remember when you asked me how you smelled like? Remember? When we were 18?"

"…"

"Those were good times," she chuckled bitterly. "But of all things... why did you ask about your smell?"

"…"

"Guess I'll never know..."

-Present-

" **Yes, Vikie** , I'm surer than _sure_ that the grave crystal is here... _somewhere_ ," Donatello stated, hopping out the Shellraiser with his makeshift detector.

"All I'm saying is your detector would use an upgrade," Victoria replied, cautiously stepping out, "It's failed us like what, two three times already?"

"Give 'im a break, Vic," Miracle groaned frustratedly, stepping out, Leo, Vi, and Nic following.

"Let's split up, we'll find it faster that way," Leo ordered.

"Again?" Nicole whined. "We've split up like what? Three, four times already?"

Miracle murmured something inaudible with an annoyed look in her eyes.

Leo, on the other hand, was just as annoyed as she was. "Just go with it," he ordered.

"Vi, you're with Leo, **good** _luck_ ," Miracle huffed, gripping Nicole's hand and dragging her away.

"C'mon, D, let's leave these two **love birds** _alone_ ," Vic said, gesturing Donnie to follow her, but he refused as he stared at his tracker. Vic rolled her eyes and went behind Donnie's back, nearly burning to crisp.

" _I'm going, I'm_ _ **going**_ _!_ " He yelped, running away, Vic following with a chuckle.

"Miracle went that way,"—Vi pointed in the direction where the two of four went—"Donnie went that way,"—she pointed to the general direction Donnie had run to in zig zag track—"so we go, this way," she finished, pointing at the abandoned graveyard.

Leo blinked. If the grave crystal was to be found in this area, shouldn't at least one of the pair gone to the most obvious place? "Why didn't—"

"I don't know, they didn't go so **we** _will_ ," Vi said quickly, dragging Leo.

The couple passed several crumbling graves topped with dead flowers, family gifts, and melted wax on dead grass. Some tombs were completely shattered while others were in relatively good shape, despite the cracks and missing corners.

"Geez, how are we going to find the grave crystal in a graveyard?" Leo asked to no one in particular, "Dig up every grave and find which body has it?" he joked.

"I'm not doing it," Vi said, suddenly stopping. She turned and jabbed her index finger on Leo's chest, "so _you_ will." She turned and continued her search.

"I was kidding!" Leo exclaimed, going after her.

Vi came to a sudden stop, Leo bumping into her with a soft 'ompf', causing her to glare.

"Vi, what is it?" Leo asked softly.

"That," Vi said, pointing to two standing graves, one with a black box next to it and the other with a photo frame that was lying on its glass.

"What about it?" Leo asked.

"Look closer," she whispered.

The leader did as told. He took out a torch and pointed it at the graves. The texts were in relatively good shape, being craved in silver rather than metal.

 _Leonardo Huang_

 _Age 18_

 **Violetta Houston**

 **Age 48**

Leo's eyes widened. He turned his head to Vi, who was squinting her eyes to get a better look. She snatched the torch out of Leo's grasp and walked over to the black box by Huang's grave. She cautiously opened it, revealing several papers that haven't been touched in year.

"How are they not gone yet?" Leo asked, walking over and kneeling next to Vi.

His girlfriend sniffed the air. "Smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"Smells like a chemical. Bug repellent, paper, canvas, acrylics...with something else." She capped the box against. She took out her ribbon ponytail and tied it to the box firmly on all four sides, like a present. She tossed it up to Leo, who caught it. "We'll let Donnie check it out, might be something important."

Leo stared down at the black box wrapped in his love's blue ribbon, wondering how she though that it was important.

Donnie pulled the string of the little black box that his brother and friend found in the graveyard. He took off the cap, and the scent of chemicals, both from the acrylics and bug repellant, with a hint of paper and canvas filling the lab rather quickly.

"Yup, that's chemicals alright," he confirmed, going to his computer. "Repellent _and_ paint."

"What's so important about a box you found by two graves?" Raph asked, rather roughly. "It could be a family offering for all we know."

"We found to by so rather...interesting bodies," Leo replied.

"Why didn't you bring back the body then?" Ellie asked, placing a hand on her hip and the other leaning on the lab desk.

"Leo, check this out," Vi called, gesturing Leo to come over.

"Just Leo, really?" Pop asked. "You two lovebirds have gone one step too fa—"

" **Leonardo Huang and Violetta Houston?!** " Mikey exclaimed, popping in between the couple. "Sounds like a destined couple to me, don't you think, Raphie?"

"Eh, so what? A husband and wife named _exactly_ after our leader and his girlfriend? Sounds like a coincidence to me," Raph shrugged.

Vi pushed Mikey out of the way with a grunt, getting back to her laptop. "Rather odd how Leonardo Huang was killed by Saki Long, don't you think?" she asked.

"Well..." Pop thought out loud, rubbing her chin with her finger.

"Another coincidence," Raph interrupted.

"Saki had three children: Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo Long. Leonardo's parents are Yoshi Huang and Shen Huang Long. Oh, and he had a sister too: Miwa Huang. She was killed by Saki. Shen was forced to marry Saki for the life of her daughter, but Saki killed Miwa after their marriage anyway. Yoshi drove away with Shen but Saki swerved them and caused them to crash killing them both," Vi read out loud in a monotone voice. There was a silence. "Do you still think it's **just** a coincidence?" Vi asked.

"A rather big one," Raph replied gruffly.

"If Rennet were here, I bet we'd be able to find out," April, who had been silent this entire time, spoke.

"Oh! That's it! Rennet!" Mikey exclaimed, running out the lab.

"Rennet Ruth or Rennet-Mikey's-crush-from-the-future?" Ellie asked.

"The latter," Donnie replied.

Mikey came back a second later, a smirk on his face. "Any moment now..." he mused.

 _"Rennet!"_

 _"Nice to see you too, Michelangelo."_

 _"Mikey, wha—"_

 _"This is how we'll find out what to those two lovebirds."_

 _"Oh, Mikey you little—"_

 _"Hold on to your shells!"_

 _"_ _ **MIKEY!**_ _"_

A force exploded as the time traveling door closed, causing papers to scatter and things what were close to it move a few, the black box included. It went over the edge, causing the papers to spill out.

Just at that moment, Karai popped her head in. Seeing an empty lab, we up her guard up. She walked around, searching for the source of the screams, but she found nothing. She walked around Donnie's desk, finding the black box tipped over. She sighed and decided to clean the place up, starting with the black box. She eventually came across two eye-catching water color paintings.

One had a teen, around his early twenties, with messy black hair and bright blue eyes. The other had the same teen, but his eyes were gloomy, lonely, compared to the other. The background did a number as well, one was bright, the other was dark.

" _Drawings are often symbolic._ "

9

 _Dear Leonardo,_

 _Are you okay? I've heard about your mom and I'm worried. How's your dad, your sister? God, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I hope you're in good hands right now. I know it's hard to lose a family, but you'll get through it. You're a tough guy, and you know it._

 _Dear Leonardo,_

 _It's been a while since I've heard from you. How are you doing? So I heard that you'd like to go to art school. I'm not going, but it's still a hobby. Would you like to go out sometime? I mean go out to paint, or do art, or hang out._

 _Dear Leo,_

 _Are you okay? You didn't look so well today. Your skin was pale and I noticed the harsh bruise at your nape. Did something happen? You know you could tell me, right? I'm your friend, and I'll do my best to understand._

 _Dear Leo,_

 _I know I said that you're a tough guy, but even the toughest of us would need a friend or two by their side. I know you hide everything about you, about your family. Please open up a bit. It'll help, I promise._

 _Dearest Leonardo..._

 _Hey, it's me again. How are you doing? Good, I hope (?) A bit harsh and dishonorable death, don't you think? I-it's not that I'm dishonoring you, it's just that the death that you have received isn't deserving of you. You deserve more than that._

 _I know that I never said this but—I'm in love with you Leonardo. I'm not sure if it's love or just a stupid crush. I want to take care of you. But, you won't let me. Why? You don't have to be so tough all the time. You're an arrogant idiot and we both know that, but that's part of what makes you so perfect. You put up a face that makes you look so perfect, but that's a flaw and we both know it. Just, please, open up. I'm begging you...and I'll be waiting._

 _Leo_

 _luv_

 _u_

 _-Vi_ TMNT © Nick

Ellie, Pop © PopcornWolf10

OCs © MPN

(Most people pronounce Violetta as Violet-ta. But my OC's name is pronounced V-oletta, but her nick name Violet is pronounced as it is. And I'm not updating most of my other stories because I wanna finish other shots first and I'm currently face-to-face with an author's block. Yes, I'm going to rewrite the Valentine's special because it's incomplete. Yes, I'm aware that this is a dark/sad one shot but don't ask why. I dunno either. Hope you like it.)

Vi packed her paints into a box along with a few jars of water and closed it. She placed her thick sketch book in her big art bag along with a stuffed, paint stained pencil case. Her eyes landed on a white, paint stained case on a shelf. She walked to it and opened it up, checking if all her water colors were there. Once she was sure, she closed it and packed it as well.

She zipped her bag and placed it on top of the box by the full length mirror. She brushed away a strand of her hair in her face and finger combed her long black locks. It was in a decent style but it was covered in paint, as well as her face and clothes.

Vi sighed, flipped her hair back, and walked to her closet, bringing out a white polka dotted tank top and jorts. She took a warm shower and put them on. She dried her hair with a bronze hair dryer and tied it in a bun with some hair coming out of the center and a some hanging from the front sides of her face for a more artsy style. She put her pastel blue chucks on and left the house carrying the box of paints and her art bag, letting her mom know that she was leaving.

She went down the busy streets of Manhattan and rode a bus to Queens. She hopped off and looked at the city she's been to about thirty times this month. She walked into a nearby building and passed by several artists painting murals on the walls of the soon to be orphanage.

" **Violets!** "—Vi turned her head to her cousin, Jose, who was walking towards her—"I'm so glad you're here," he smiled, shaking her hand.

Vi let out a light chuckle, "Jose, you _know_ that I've been here at least thirty times this month, right?"

"And **you** know that this is the only time I've stayed long enough to see you."

Vi chuckled, "Can't argue with that."

"Oh, and I reassigned you and Leonardo to paint the entire second floor since you've finished your project here in the first floor. The second floor is unisexual, you know, for babies and toddlers."

"Happy to oblige, partner," Vi chuckled, walking past her cousin with a smile and walking to the second floor.

She was greeted by a dull floor of pure gray. It was filled with many rooms that were even _more_ dull.

She left her cargo by the staircase and walked around, letting her imagination fly as she imagined glass doors and glass windows in the empty stands of each soon to be colorful rooms. She loved taking care as babies and orphans, just like her cousin, but she couldn't since she was still in college. She wasn't an art student either. She was a lawyer in training. The only reasons why she was here is because Jose loved her passion in helping others, she was good in art, and her imagination was not far from the real world. That way, the kids will be able to forget their tragic past while not have to deal with the fact that fairies aren't real.

" _Hello_?!"

Vi blinked back to reality. Everything was gray, empty... _lonely_.

" **Anyone here?!** "

That echo was at the staircase. Vi can tell. She walked back and came face to face with her partner, Leonardo. His black hair was very, _very_ messy, and his right forearm was covered in a bandaged soaked with crimson, which wouldn't really matter if he hid it better with his jacket. He was trying to hide something and Vi knew it.

"Leo? A-are you okay? Did you get hurt?" Vi asked, cautiously taking a step forward.

Leo took a (few) step(s) back from his partner in response, causing her to stop dead on her tracks. He realized this and his heart sank. "Oh? Huh? Yeah, yeah, just a little cut is all."

"A cut? Hmph, yeah right, it's soaked, are you _sure_ it's just a cut?"

"Oh, uh, yeah, just soaked it with acrylics on the way over," Leo responded nervously.

Vi's eyes widened. "You soaked it with—"

"It's just a scab, okay? Mom just told me to put a bandage on it just in case paint spills on it or something."

"But why only that area?" Vi asked, growing more concerned by the minute.

"I... was... doing the non-dominant hand challenge?"

"Leonardo," Vi called firmly, "you're hiding something and I know it, but if you don't want to tell me, just let me know that it's private. I'll respect that," she finished gently. Leo looked at her then, at the ground sadly. "So what's up?"

Leo took a breath. He was dealing with something big, yet he wouldn't— **shouldn't** let anyone know about it. She wondered why...

"I...I had a fight with Raph," he finally replied.

"Again?" Vi asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Leo sighed, "I just wish that we could get along better. You know, like you and your sister."

Vi scoffed, "Pluh- _lease_ , **you** try getting along with a sibling on the other side of the continent. Not that I don't see your point."

Leo rolled his eyes. "I kinda wish _I_ was across the universe," he mumbled.

Vi let out a 'hmph', walked over to her stuff and picked them up. "C'mon, Blush Boy, let's get to painting. I know a good place to start," she stated, walking down a hall.

Leo's face turned red. "B-Blush Boy?"

"Don't act as if you don't know the reason why," Vi replied, looking over her shoulder. Leo shook his head and followed.

Vi kept her mouth shut the entire way, not knowing what to say. Leo was the one who usually started conversations, so why isn't he doing anything now? For all she knew, Leo is just not in the mood for a conversation, yet he seemed fine a minute ago. But then again, he _did_ come looking terrible, as if he was beaten up.

"So..." Vi started.

"So what?" Leo asked, walking alongside her and looking set her with curious eyes bigger than usual.

Vi's head backed up a bit, staring back. "Leo... stop staring," she chuckled, turning back to the corridor.

"I wasn't," Leo replied with a smirk.

"Humph, yeah right," Vi commented, walking ahead.

A few more steps and they ended up in a decent sized room, no smaller than Vi's own. There was an open window covered with a tattered fabric, which flew wildly against the wind.

"Welp, where are those blue prints?" Leo murmured, setting down his cargo and searching his art bag for something. "Aha," he breathed.

"What's that you got there?" Vi asked, setting down her cargo by Leo's then looking over his shoulder as he unrolled a blue print.

"We're...here." Leo pointed to a small box marked "napping room".

"Oh, looks like we have to make this place look sleepy I guess," Vi sighed while getting up. Just thinking about how the room would look like made her sleepy.

"Already?" Leo asked teasingly, standing up as well.

"Hmph, let's see who's sleepy by lunch," Vi smirked cockily.

"Heh, yeah right," Leo scoffed while rolling his eyes. "So what are you planning for this room?" he asked.

"Oh, you know," Vi started walking around the room with her left hand never loosing contact with the wall, "The night sky, stars moons, maybe the man _on_ the moon," she replied, chuckling. She looked up, pointing at the small light at the center of the room, "Maybe put it over there," she said.

"Okay... so about the walls," Leo said, gesturing to the grey canvas, "I was thinking something like a landscape. You know: mountains, hills, rivers, lakes, trees...the things you'd find in nature."

"Sound like you'd prefer Japan," Vi commented, "but honestly, now that I think about it, I'd say that it's not a bad idea. We'll just cover the ceiling with stars and make the walls a landscape of Japan's Sakura trees at night. And let's put lanterns, maybe a bit warm..."

Leo couldn't help but chuckle as she went on and on and on...if only she knew.

9

He tensed as he cautiously pushed the front door open, peeking at his step father, Saki, playing poker with his friends, again. He opened the door a bit more and quietly stepped into the house, closing the door just as silently–or so he thought.

" _Lame-o-nardo, get some more beer from the store, will ya?_ "

Leo flinched as Saki's voice came loud and clear. Leo nodded with a shudder. He placed his paints on the countertop and immediately left the house and went across the street, walking back with a few boxes of beer. He handed them to Saki and turned to get his paints...which...weren't...there.

Leo's eyes widened. He ran up the stairs as quietly as he could and knocked on his step-brothers' door. It opened (eventually), but he was greeted by a paintball in the face.

" _Dr Prankenstein strikes again!_ "

"Real _mature, Mikey._ "

Leo opened his eyes after wiping his face his forearm the best he can, but it was still there. He opened his eyes as he stared at his paint-covered forearm. The smell wasn't the only thing that was familiar.

"You guys used my paints!" he exclaimed angrily.

" _So?_ " Raph asked.

"They're mine, you shouldn't have taken them!"

"But they were just laying on the countertop so we decided to take them," Mikey replied.

"But I bought it with _my_ money," Leo stared.

"But _we_ got our hands on it," Raph retorted, "Finders keepers."

"Plus why would you use 300 bucks to buy paints?" Donnie asked. Leo opened his mouth to answer but he was interrupted by his smart step-brother, "It's a rhetorical question."

"And why would you use them on some useless doodles when you could use them for pranks?" Mikey smirked, throwing another balloon, which Leo dodged, causing it to hit the area where the nerd was.

"My notes!" Donnie exclaimed, shocked. He ran out the room calling for his father.

"Looks like someone's in trouble~" Mikey and Raph chorused in a sing-song voice. They threw more balloons at each other and all over the room, sliding the empty paint box to Leo and scattering the empty cans all over.

Saki and Donnie came rushing up the stairs, and seeing the mess, Saki covered his eyes to Leo.

" **Leonardo!** " Saki yelled. He graded Leo by the shirt neckline and held him to the wall. For a drunkard gambler, Saki was pretty skilled. "Did you do this?" Leo gulped. His lips trembled and his mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. "Did **you** do _this_?" Saki asked again.

Leo's eyes shrunk in fear he looked around the room, his acrylics were all over the beds, the walls, the floor, the furniture, _everywhere_. He didn't do any of this. He looked at his step brothers for help, but all they did was tease him behind their father's back. Leo took and breath, and though knew what was coming, he didn't do anything about it.

He nodded.

9

With one final stroke, the they— _she_ was one step closer to the desired outcome. Vi wiped her forehead with the palm of her hand. She looked around the room.

The walls were in a dark hue of the blend of blue, purple, and black, as well as the ceiling. But that was it. Plain. Dark. Scary

The smile on her face faded. She knew that she wasn't done yet, but just looking at her work made feel as if it wasn't going to be good enough. She turned her head to the white can of paint on the floor. It was intimidating, but it was also contrasting to the dark environment.

She was sure that something was missing, besides the comforting environment, she couldn't tell what. Though she knew that there was no one to point it our to her.

"What situation did you get yourself into, Leo?" Vi asked herself.

Then she picked a smell off the air. She wasn't a dog, or a cat, or a superhuman. Just a light smell of acrylics with a hint of...blood? She didn't want to think about it, but it got stronger. She thought of the relieving possibilities, like someone with nose bleed and acrylics. But the blood soon overthrew the acrylics.

Vi turned her head and walked out, dropping the paint brush into a bucket on the way. We placed her hand on the empty door frame and checked both sides of the hall. Nothing. Then she heard footsteps, really soft, but heavy ones. Her eyes widened and got her hands on the nearest thing for defense: a paint brush.

She turned her little weapon around so that the handle of the brush was pointing at the doorway. Then a silhouette got closer...

and closer...

and closer...

and...

 **WACK!**

 **OOF!**

" _Vi, it's me! Leo!_ "

9

"I can't believe you hit me with a paintbrush," Leo grumbled, adding another stroke of dark green paint to the wall.

"You smell different than usual," Vi joked.

"Explain," Leo spoke, rolling his eyes.

"Well..."

Vi didn't really think that she'd need to explain Leo's smell to anyone besides herself, much less Leo himself. Back in elementary, he smelled like nature: trees, flowers, water, and such, with a hint of incense, Vi loved that smell, but she never got close enough to get the details, instead, she tried to recreate it at home, but there was always something missing. In second year high school, something changed. He started smelling odd, Vi didn't like it. He smelled like beer, cigar, and a bit of something she couldn't make out. The atmosphere was gone, and according to a friend, it wasn't coming back anytime soon, and Vi knew that it was true because the very friend spent her entire year trying to recreate the atmosphere she loved, but she wasn't even close. All she could do was remember. Then college rolled around and Leo smelled like something like Vi herself. Paint, paper, pastel... 'artist's aura' a friend called it. Vi herself was an artist, but she was more into graphite. Leo was the one who introduced her to acrylics, water color, and such. But now...

"You used to smell like nature," Vi mumbled, loud enough for only Leo to barely hear. "I liked that. I enjoyed it when I visited your home. It was calm, comfortable, as if it was a fantasy. Then in high school, you...you changed."

"...What kind of change?"

Vi took a breath, collecting herself. She didn't know wether she should continue or not, but she's started it, and she's never left anything unfinished.

"...you started smelling like...beer, cigars...the opposite of the Leo I knew. I-I'm not saying that you are like that now, but... there was something that was different..."

"What kind of different?"

"It started yesterday...I think. You came with a bandaged wrist with a hint of blood in your scent. You said your mom told you to cover it with a bandage... but your mom died three years ago, first year of college."

Leo's eyes widened in surprise, maybe fear. "How...how did you—"

"There couldn't be another Shen Huang Long in the world that died in a car crash with Yoshi Huang after getting hit intentionally by Saki Long, _would there_?"

9

 _Navy blue? Nah._

 _Sea blue? Not even close._

 _Should I try...no—it can't be... Oh. Who knew?_

Vi loaded her small brush with some watercolor and filled in the space in his eyes. She rest the brush beside a half-filled jar and uncapped a black felt marker, filling in the pupils. She put it done and picked up a few shades of blue color pencils, adding more effect.

"Something's not right..." she murmured.

She got up and pulled out a black box from the top shelf. She opened it, revealing more pictures of Leonardo Hamato, varying in art mediums, paper, and age.

There was something wrong with all the pictures from high school up. She looked back at his newest portrait. Too bright. Too happy. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Vi looked back at her art mediums, eyes falling on all the dark and gloomy colors.

 _Worth a shot..._

9

 _ **Why isn't it doing anything?**_

She didn't understand. The paper was white, she covered it all, but it still didn't make sense. Leo wasn't Leo. This Leo in the portrait was the one she knew...it was a fake. Her dream Leo.

It.

Wasn't.

 _Real_.

She turned her head to the shelf nearby, where she stocked all her supplies. She's tried everything. Everything, nothing worked. Every possibility—

"No," Vi groaned, resting her head on her crossed arms, "Don't think that. It can't be. He's happy with his un...cle." Vi lifted her head, staring at the walls. She took a breath, then got to work.

9

 _ **"Lame-o-nardo, the dishes!"**_

 _ **"Hey, mutt, don't you dare forget my clothes!"**_

 _ **"Not before you finish polishing my tools!"**_

 _ **"Daddy, the mold put a spider under my pillow!"**_

 _ **"Father, there's a roach under my bed! I think the mutt put it there!"**_

 _ **"Dad, my tools are dirty!"**_

 _ **"Leonardo, get over here this instant!"**_

…

… _Why?_

…

… _Why me?_

…

… _Help._

…

… _Help me._

 **Don't count on it.**

9

"Vi—"

…

"Violetta—"

…

"Violetta, wake up."

…

"He's—"

…

"... _gone_."

-Years later-

It was a cool autumn day. The leaves had turned orange and most of them have fallen. The sky was tinted orange with some red. Just like her painting.

Vi put down her sketchbook, comparing it to the real thing. She smiled softly. Turning to the grave next to her, she frowned, patting it.

"Would things be different if you told somebody...if you told _me_?" she asked. She sighed. She reached into her bag and brought out a small black box. "These...these are..for you," she murmured, placing it next to Leo. She let out a sad chuckle. "Remember when you asked me how you smelled like? Remember? When we were 18?"

"…"

"Those were good times," she chuckled bitterly. "But of all things... why did you ask about your smell?"

"…"

"Guess I'll never know..."

-Present-

" **Yes, Vikie** , I'm surer than _sure_ that the grave crystal is here... _somewhere_ ," Donatello stated, hopping out the Shellraiser with his makeshift detector.

"All I'm saying is your detector would use an upgrade," Victoria replied, cautiously stepping out, "It's failed us like what, two three times already?"

"Give 'im a break, Vic," Miracle groaned frustratedly, stepping out, Leo, Vi, and Nic following.

"Let's split up, we'll find it faster that way," Leo ordered.

"Again?" Nicole whined. "We've split up like what? Three, four times already?"

Miracle murmured something inaudible with an annoyed look in her eyes.

Leo, on the other hand, was just as annoyed as she was. "Just go with it," he ordered.

"Vi, you're with Leo, **good** _luck_ ," Miracle huffed, gripping Nicole's hand and dragging her away.

"C'mon, D, let's leave these two **love birds** _alone_ ," Vic said, gesturing Donnie to follow her, but he refused as he stared at his tracker. Vic rolled her eyes and went behind Donnie's back, nearly burning to crisp.

" _I'm going, I'm_ _ **going**_ _!_ " He yelped, running away, Vic following with a chuckle.

"Miracle went that way,"—Vi pointed in the direction where the two of four went—"Donnie went that way,"—she pointed to the general direction Donnie had run to in zig zag track—"so we go, this way," she finished, pointing at the abandoned graveyard.

Leo blinked. If the grave crystal was to be found in this area, shouldn't at least one of the pair gone to the most obvious place? "Why didn't—"

"I don't know, they didn't go so **we** _will_ ," Vi said quickly, dragging Leo.

The couple passed several crumbling graves topped with dead flowers, family gifts, and melted wax on dead grass. Some tombs were completely shattered while others were in relatively good shape, despite the cracks and missing corners.

"Geez, how are we going to find the grave crystal in a graveyard?" Leo asked to no one in particular, "Dig up every grave and find which body has it?" he joked.

"I'm not doing it," Vi said, suddenly stopping. She turned and jabbed her index finger on Leo's chest, "so _you_ will." She turned and continued her search.

"I was kidding!" Leo exclaimed, going after her.

Vi came to a sudden stop, Leo bumping into her with a soft 'ompf', causing her to glare.

"Vi, what is it?" Leo asked softly.

"That," Vi said, pointing to two standing graves, one with a black box next to it and the other with a photo frame that was lying on its glass.

"What about it?" Leo asked.

"Look closer," she whispered.

The leader did as told. He took out a torch and pointed it at the graves. The texts were in relatively good shape, being craved in silver rather than metal.

 _Leonardo Huang_

 _Age 18_

 **Violetta Houston**

 **Age 48**

Leo's eyes widened. He turned his head to Vi, who was squinting her eyes to get a better look. She snatched the torch out of Leo's grasp and walked over to the black box by Huang's grave. She cautiously opened it, revealing several papers that haven't been touched in year.

"How are they not gone yet?" Leo asked, walking over and kneeling next to Vi.

His girlfriend sniffed the air. "Smell that?"

"Smell what?"

"Smells like a chemical. Bug repellent, paper, canvas, acrylics...with something else." She capped the box against. She took out her ribbon ponytail and tied it to the box firmly on all four sides, like a present. She tossed it up to Leo, who caught it. "We'll let Donnie check it out, might be something important."

Leo stared down at the black box wrapped in his love's blue ribbon, wondering how she though that it was important.

Donnie pulled the string of the little black box that his brother and friend found in the graveyard. He took off the cap, and the scent of chemicals, both from the acrylics and bug repellant, with a hint of paper and canvas filling the lab rather quickly.

"Yup, that's chemicals alright," he confirmed, going to his computer. "Repellent _and_ paint."

"What's so important about a box you found by two graves?" Raph asked, rather roughly. "It could be a family offering for all we know."

"We found to by so rather...interesting bodies," Leo replied.

"Why didn't you bring back the body then?" Ellie asked, placing a hand on her hip and the other leaning on the lab desk.

"Leo, check this out," Vi called, gesturing Leo to come over.

"Just Leo, really?" Pop asked. "You two lovebirds have gone one step too fa—"

" **Leonardo Huang and Violetta Houston?!** " Mikey exclaimed, popping in between the couple. "Sounds like a destined couple to me, don't you think, Raphie?"

"Eh, so what? A husband and wife named _exactly_ after our leader and his girlfriend? Sounds like a coincidence to me," Raph shrugged.

Vi pushed Mikey out of the way with a grunt, getting back to her laptop. "Rather odd how Leonardo Huang was killed by Saki Long, don't you think?" she asked.

"Well..." Pop thought out loud, rubbing her chin with her finger.

"Another coincidence," Raph interrupted.

"Saki had three children: Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo Long. Leonardo's parents are Yoshi Huang and Shen Huang Long. Oh, and he had a sister too: Miwa Huang. She was killed by Saki. Shen was forced to marry Saki for the life of her daughter, but Saki killed Miwa after their marriage anyway. Yoshi drove away with Shen but Saki swerved them and caused them to crash killing them both," Vi read out loud in a monotone voice. There was a silence. "Do you still think it's **just** a coincidence?" Vi asked.

"A rather big one," Raph replied gruffly.

"If Rennet were here, I bet we'd be able to find out," April, who had been silent this entire time, spoke.

"Oh! That's it! Rennet!" Mikey exclaimed, running out the lab.

"Rennet Ruth or Rennet-Mikey's-crush-from-the-future?" Ellie asked.

"The latter," Donnie replied.

Mikey came back a second later, a smirk on his face. "Any moment now..." he mused.

 _"Rennet!"_

 _"Nice to see you too, Michelangelo."_

 _"Mikey, wha—"_

 _"This is how we'll find out what to those two lovebirds."_

 _"Oh, Mikey you little—"_

 _"Hold on to your shells!"_

 _"_ _ **MIKEY!**_ _"_

A force exploded as the time traveling door closed, causing papers to scatter and things what were close to it move a few, the black box included. It went over the edge, causing the papers to spill out.

Just at that moment, Karai popped her head in. Seeing an empty lab, we up her guard up. She walked around, searching for the source of the screams, but she found nothing. She walked around Donnie's desk, finding the black box tipped over. She sighed and decided to clean the place up, starting with the black box. She eventually came across two eye-catching water color paintings.

One had a teen, around his early twenties, with messy black hair and bright blue eyes. The other had the same teen, but his eyes were gloomy, lonely, compared to the other. The background did a number as well, one was bright, the other was dark.

" _Drawings are often symbolic._ "

9

 _Dear Leonardo,_

 _Are you okay? I've heard about your mom and I'm worried. How's your dad, your sister? God, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I hope you're in good hands right now. I know it's hard to lose a family, but you'll get through it. You're a tough guy, and you know it._

 _Dear Leonardo,_

 _It's been a while since I've heard from you. How are you doing? So I heard that you'd like to go to art school. I'm not going, but it's still a hobby. Would you like to go out sometime? I mean go out to paint, or do art, or hang out._

 _Dear Leo,_

 _Are you okay? You didn't look so well today. Your skin was pale and I noticed the harsh bruise at your nape. Did something happen? You know you could tell me, right? I'm your friend, and I'll do my best to understand._

 _Dear Leo,_

 _I know I said that you're a tough guy, but even the toughest of us would need a friend or two by their side. I know you hide everything about you, about your family. Please open up a bit. It'll help, I promise._

 _Dearest Leonardo..._

 _Hey, it's me again. How are you doing? Good, I hope (?) A bit harsh and dishonorable death, don't you think? I-it's not that I'm dishonoring you, it's just that the death that you have received isn't deserving of you. You deserve more than that._

 _I know that I never said this but—I'm in love with you Leonardo. I'm not sure if it's love or just a stupid crush. I want to take care of you. But, you won't let me. Why? You don't have to be so tough all the time. You're an arrogant idiot and we both know that, but that's part of what makes you so perfect. You put up a face that makes you look so perfect, but that's a flaw and we both know it. Just, please, open up. I'm begging you...and I'll be waiting._

 _Leo_

 _luv_

 _u_

 _-Vi_


End file.
